Rovers unable to quell Boru's rising

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Championship Semi-Final

Brian Borus 2-6

Shannon Rovers 0-7

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Alison O’Mahony (Brian Borus).

SCORERS – Brian Borus: Alannah English 1-2 (0-2 frees); Mary Barrett 1-0; Lucy O’Connor 0-2 each; Sarah English, Rebecca Burke 0-1 each.

Shannon Rovers: Laura Leenane 0-5 (1 free); Clodagh Davis, Nicola Kelly 0-1 each

Shannon Rovers missed out on a place in the County Intermediate Camogie Championship final as last years junior champions Brian Borus continued their impressive rise through the ranks with this semi-final victory on Sunday.

In what was a close game for the majority, it was Borus second goal in the second half from full-forward Alanna English which finally tipped the scales in her sides favour.

However, it will be a goal the Rovers will look back on with a lot of regret as they failed to clear a shot which goalkeeper Aine Slattery batted down, and after a scramble, English had the easiest of tap-ins.

As the low scoreline suggests, the game wasn’t of the highest quality and was very stop/start with players from both sides going down with knocks on a number of occasions.

However, the intensity throughout was ferocious and the work-rate off the ball was of the highest order with every score hard to come by with not one player getting an easy time of it in possession. Both teams also gave an exhibition in hooking and blocking throughout.

The finishing from both sides lacked quality but overall, Brian Borus were deserving winners as they had a little bit more quality in the forwards and defended resolutely. They also had a lot more of the play, won the puckout battle, and a lot more of the breaks from the rucks.

There were some excellent individual performances from both sides with Shauna Maher, Ciara Hickey, Alison O’Mahony, Mary Barrett, and Alanna English excelling for the South outfit, while for the Rovers, Niamh Franks, Celine Guinan, Anna Harding and Laura Leenane stood out.

The game took a while to get going with Brian Borus enjoying most of the early running but failing to get off the mark, and then in the 13th minute it was the North outfit who opened the scoring through Tipp star Laura Leenane although Borus would level a minute later through Lucy O’Connor.

Rovers regained the lead a minute later through another Leenane effort, and they extended it a minute later when Clodagh Davis pointed with a fine finish on the run after a superb flick into her path by Nicola Kelly. Lucy O’Connor would hit her sides second with a superb effort from out the field, before Leenane added a fourth for Rovers from a placed ball.

In the 25th minute came the games first pivotal moment when a free was sent in from Alison O’Mahony and plucked out of the air brilliantly by Mary Barrett who unleashed an unstoppable shot to the net, leaving Aine Slattery in the goal no chance.

Alannah English added another point before Laura Leenane added another to her tally in added time to leave just one point in it at the break, 1-3 to 0-5.

The sides were level within forty seconds of the restart when Nicola Kelly pointed, before Alanna English restored the Borus lead from a 45 two minutes later. Another Laura Leenane point had the sides level in the 36th minute, but then Borus would start to get on top in the middle of the field and points from Rebecca Burke and Sarah English, following a poor clearance, had them two ahead in the 55th minute.

A minute later and the games crucial score came when Alanna English found the back of the net for what would be the last score of the game to put her side five clear.

Despite the Rovers pushing late on for a way back into the game they were unable to break down a determined Brian Borus backline as they repelled everything that was thrown at them and held out for a massive win and a place in next Saturday’s final against Boherlahan-Dualla at FBD Semple Stadium.

TEAMS – Brian Borus: Kasey Meehan (6), Caithlin O’Gorman (6), Shauna Maher (8), Rosaleen O’Gorman (6), Ciara Hickey (8), Alison O’Mahony (9), Helen Burke (7), Helena Walsh (6), Anna French (7), Mary Barrett (7), Caoimhe Ryan (7), Lucy O’Connor (8), Sarah English (7), Alannah English (8), Ellie O’Connor (7).

Sub: Rebecca Burke (7) for O’Gorman (HT).

Shannon Rovers: Aine Slattery (7); Anna Kennedy (6), Rosemarie Bermingham (6), Frances Bugler (7); Niamh Franks (8), Celine Guinan (8), Emma Costello (7); Rachel Hannigan (6), Eimear Fogarty (7); Emma Darcy (6), Clodagh Davis (7), Anna Harding (7); Nicola Kelly (7), Laura Leenane (8), Emer Flannery (6).

Subs: Makenzie Simmons Loughnane (6) for Flannery (41), Bethany Slattery (NR) for Hannigan (56).

Referee: PJ Nolan (Killea).